Needing a quick fix, N.Y. Giants could focus on “high floor” prospects in 2022 NFL draft

NFL Draft News

The New York Giants find themselves in a precarious situation.

Want a new right tackle? Then what does that say about 2020 third-round pick Matt Peart, the 99th overall pick out of Connecticut. Looking for an interior lineman to pair with RG Will Hernandez? Then what does the team do with 2020 fifth-rounder Shane Lemieux, who started nine games last season and was the starter at left guard before a season-ending injury suffered in Week 2. Need a playmaking wide receiver? Is the team ready to move on at quarterback? The team invested first-round picks at those positions in recent years on players who thus far haven’t performed up to their draft status.

And the list goes on. Looking for a playmaking cornerback? 2021 third-rounder Aaron Robinson has yet to take a single snap, 2020 fourth-rounder Darnay Holmes is a second stringer who played just 1 snap last week, and 2019 first-rounder Deandre Baker is now a backup with Kansas City.

The bottom line is this: Almost any move the Giants make in the 2022 NFL draft will be an admission of failure from recent drafts.

With that said, there are a few bright spots amidst New York’s 0-3 start.

Much-maligned left tackle Andrew Thomas has played at a Pro Bowl level so far, allowing just five pressures and no sacks in 134 passing plays. 2019 first-round defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has been solid. And second-round pick Azeez Ojulari’s 3 sacks currently leads all rookie pass rushers.

But there have been too many non-contributors, particularly from high picks.

Is it coaching? Scouting? Bad luck? All of the above?

It’s hard to say this early in the season under a regime that might not be around for next season.

But if the Giants want to make it back to the playoffs, then the team could focus its attention on players with relatively “high floors.” Armed with nine picks in the 2022 NFL draft, here’s a sneak peak at what the Giants might do on the first two days of the draft, when they could have five of the top 75 picks.

Round 1

  • Notre Dame S Kyle Hamilton: Only two safeties have been drafted as high as No. 5 overall, Sean Taylor (2004) and Eric Berry (2010), but Hamilton could easily be the third. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound junior has been in most top-10 lists all season and hasn’t disappointed thus far, with 25 tackles (second on the team), 2 TFLs, 2 pass breakups and 3 interceptions, which ties him second nationally. ESPN’s Mel Kiper listed Hamilton as his No. 2 overall prospect in his most recent rankings, calling him one of the “most versatile defenders in the country.” From Kiper: “Hamilton has the size to move up to the line of scrimmage and help in the run game, and he has the speed and range to cover pass-catchers out of the slot. He’s exactly what NFL teams want in their first-round safeties.” Is safety a need for New York? Probably not, with Jabrill Peppers, Logan Hall and 2020 second-rounder Xavier McKinney manning the position. But Hamilton is simply too good a talent to pass up, and Peppers will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

  • Iowa C Tyler Linderbaum: Generally speaking, you don’t see safeties and centers go in the top 10, primarily because of the importance placed on their respective positions. But when highly rated talent falls to a team with a need at that position, then it’s hard to pass those players up. And center is very much a need for New York (current starter Billy Price was the lowest rated center in the league the first two games until somewhat of a bounce-back game last week). No fan base is going to be thrilled by the selection of Linderbaum because it’s not an “exciting” pick – but they’ll be elated by the end of the season. The 6-foot-3, 290-pound junior won’t wow you with his size or length, but Pro Football Network calls him the “best pure prospect at the position in some time.” He’s exceptionally explosive, fluid, athletic and quick, evaluators say.

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